Ruth In Court
by redandready45
Summary: Ruth thought she was sticking it to her ex when she made off with the bastard's convertible. In her anger, however, Ruth never realized that she would lose the one thing in her life that needed her attention the most: her daughter. Ruth now must fight in court to escape jail and keep custody of her daughter. First story in the Powerverse series. A rewrite of "Marge on the Lam".
1. Part 1

**Hello Everybody. This is the first fanfic I have published in a while. This is actually going to be the first of a series of fanfics centering around Laura and Ruth Powers, two Simpsons characters who I felt were underutilized. But I was not the only one who felt that way.**

 **An anonymous artist from DeviantArt drew wonderful pictures of the Powers family, and created an interesting headcanon.**

 **I intend to use that headcanon to create a series of fanfics around the Powers Family, as well as their interactions with the Simpsons family. I hope to not only write an excellent series, but create Simpsons stories good enough to be comparable to the Golden Years of the Simpsons.**

 **So here we go!**

 **The Simpsons (c) Matt Groening. The picture is credited to ABSimpsons, who had give me permission to use for this story.**

"And they all died," Kent Brockman said with some laughter. "On a more somber note-,"

Laura Powers sat in her living room watching the Channel 6 news, with Kent Brockman. It was a lazy Saturday. Her friends all had plans, so she decided to pass the time in front of the boob tube.

Laura heard footsteps behind her, and saw her mother, dressed up in a leather jacket and sunglasses.

"Wow," said Laura, "since when did you join the Hell's Angels?"

"They offered me a one-month free trial," Ruth quipped. "Try and be responsible while I'm gone, OK?"

"Don't worry," Laura said with the wave of her hand, "when I throw that party I wasn't gonna tell you about, I'll make sure the beer and pot are distributed equally."

"Glad to see I'm raising you right," Ruth replied with a sly smile.

"Have fun with Mrs. S," replied Laura.

"I will," Ruth said, before stepping out the door. Laura briefly pulled her attention away from the TV to watch her mom pull out. She felt uneasy for some reason, seeing her mom in the new classic she somehow got. It looked vaguely familiar.

Her mind was taken away by the news report.

"Our top story at this hour," Brockman said , "stuffed animals. Adorable toy or secretly possessed by serial killers?"

Hours passed by, night fell, and Laura came out of her TV-induced stupor to glance at the clock.

11:30 PM.

 _Mom said she would be back by now._

Laura's worries were pushed away by the call of opportunity. Her mom wasn't home yet. She could do things her mom wouldn't be able to stop.

Using the remote, she turned the channel over to _Jerry Springer_.

"Paul here would like to make a confession to his wife," Jerry said, pointing to a party clown with a silly disposition.

"I've been lying to you this whole-time honey," the clown said in a peppy voice. The clown removed his mask and colorful suit, revealing a frank and sober man.

"I am actually an insurance salesman," the former clown said in a very flat voice. The crowd started gasping and booing.

"Oh Jason," the faux-clown's said with grief, "I never knew."

"What you don't know could fill a warehouse," shouted a man from the audience. The fake clown threw his fake red nose at the man in the audience, knocking another man over, who jumped into the fight.

"JERRY, JERRY, JERRY!" the audience shouting, Laura watching with a manic smile and a clenched fist at the carnage.

The time passed to seven thirty in the morning. Laura woke up with a jolt, realizing she had fallen asleep in her chair in front of the TV.

"Oh God," Laura said with horror, standing up from her chair, "Mom must have known I overslept!" Laura noticed her Mom wasn't awake and timidly wandered over to the door to her Mom's bedroom, knocked slightly, and eventually discovered her Mom wasn't there.

She glanced over to the couch, and saw her mom wasn't sleeping there either.

She looked over the Simpson house.

 _Maybe she was so tired, she stayed with the Simpsons?_

Laura nervously wandered over to the Simpsons' house, and knocked on the door. The door opened, and outstepped Bart.

"Hey Laura, what's happening," Bart said casually, in a smooth player voice.

"Did my mom stay at your house," Laura said, unusually stern in her questioning.

"No," Bart said, taken aback, rubbing the back of his head, "Our mom isn't home either."

"Can I talk to your dad?"

"Homer isn't home either," Bart said.

Laura's eyes narrowed in frustration.

"Then who the hell's watching you," Laura asked.

"Our lawyer," Bart said, opening the door so Laura could come in.

"Well, why didn't you ask me to babysit," Laura asked with some annoyance.

"Short notice thing," Bart said. Laura entered the Simpsons house, and walked over to the living room. To her shock, she saw some red-headed hobo sleeping in the middle of the living room, surrounded by wrappers and liquor bottles. Lisa was looking worriedly at the man, carrying Maggie in her arms.

"Who the hell is that," Laura asked, with some disgust.

"Lionel-uh, Miguel Sanchez," Lisa said sheepishly, "He's our attorney/babysitter."

Laura stepped over to the sleeping man, and prodded the guy awake with his foot.

"Wha-," the man asked, as he was jolted awake into a sitting position. He saw Laura, and let out a horrific scream. He smashed one of the liquor bottles on the ground, and he held it toured Laura, who stepped back in shock and fear.

"I told Don Largo that the money would be in the mail by next century I swear," the man said, his face oozing with crazed desperation.

"Who the hell is Don Largo," Laura asked, in fear and shock.

The man gave her a good look, and chuckled nervously, and dropped the shiv.

"Sorry," the man said, trying (and failing) to sound casual, "I thought you were from the Mob." He casually got up, and wandered into the kitchen, chugging one of the whisky bottles.

"Uh, Laura," Lisa asked nervously, "could you stay with-,"

"Sure," said Laura. She liked Bart and Lisa, and didn't trust that nut one bit.

 _Several hours later_

Bart, Lisa, Laura, Maggie, and Hutz sat in front of the TV. Per Laura's request, they were watching some chick flick.

"Oh Sandra, I can't believe you survived an abusive husband, your boss sexually harassing you, and your lover dying in a blimp disaster," one of the actresses said in a highly dramatic tone.

"Because I am a woman," said the other actress, even more dramatically, "and a survivor-ah, a murmivor, if you will."

"You go sister," Lisa shouted at the screen.

"That's some righteousness," Laura said. Bart groaned in boredom.

"Come on Laura," Bart said with exasperation, "can't we watch something more educational like… demolition derby."

"Sorry Bart," Laura said with smugness, "As the babysitter, I get to decide what we watch."

"Yeah Bart," Lisa said, rubbing it in, giving Laura a high five.

"Actually," Hutz intoned, "as the only adult in the room, I believe I am legally entitled to have full jurisdiction over remote…" He stopped speaking as he saw Laura giving him a particularly fierce glare.

"Asserting my right to remain silent now," Sanchez said. Laura leaned back and smiled. The Powers Glare could put any creep in their place.

Suddenly, the chick flick cut out, replaced with a news report from Kent Brockman.

"We just received word of a high-speed chase," uttered Kent Brockman.

"Cool," Bart said on the TV.

"Yeah," said Laura, getting excited, "I can't wait til' the cops catch that bum, and throw his butt in hail!"

"The suspects are identified as Marge Simpsons and Ruth Powers," Brockman finished.

Laura's smug smile was replaced with a look of shock, and she unknowingly dropped the remote in shock. As she looked at the TV, she realized why the car was so familiar.

 _Mom didn't win that car. She stole it from Max._

"D'oh," Laura grunted, facepalming, ignoring Bart and Lisa's shocked expressions.

Marge and Ruth stepped out of the car, running over the cliff where Homer and Chief Wiggum drove into.

"Homie!" Marge shouted. "Are you OK?!"

"Don't worry Marge," Homer yelled pleasantly. "Patty and Selma always said I would end up in a pile of filth. For once, I am glad they were right." He continued to kiss the filth.

As Ruth and Marge looked on in confusion, they heard a bunch of police sirens surround them, and saw a bunch of police cars come toward them.

"Damnit," Ruth said.

"Ms. Powers and Mrs. Simpson, you are completely surrounded," said the state policeman, yelling into a microphone from behind one of the cars, "surrender now or-."

"OK," Ruth shouted, resignation in her voice, putting her hands in the air.

"You too, Mrs. Simpson," the policeman shouted.

"No, I bullied Marge into doing this. I forced her to go along with it," Ruth said. "You want to send someone to jail, let it be me."

"OK boys," the officer said. "Arrest her." Two of the cops cuffed Ruth behind her back, and removed her glasses, while Marge looked on sadly. Ruth was forced into the back of the police cruiser, unable to meet Marge's eyes as she was driven away.

Marge was broken from her sad observation by Homer running up to Marge and hugging her.

"Marge why was Ruth driving away from the cops," Homer asked.

"She stole the car from her ex-husband," Marge said, her voice full of tears.

"What-," Homer replied, his face in shock.

"Apparently she had issues with her ex and," Marge said, her face full of concern, "but-," she paused with shock. "Wait, if you're here," she surmised, "who is watching the kids?!"

"Don't worry Marge," Homer said confidently, "I was able to find somehow I know who is good with kids."

Cut to the Simpson house:

Maggie was squealing like crazy, unable to sleep in her crib.

"Kids," Hutz asked Bart and Lisa timidly, "how can you get that…thing to shut off."

"Maggie's hungry, Mr. Hutz," Lisa said sternly.

"She needs her bottle, or else she won't get any sleep," intoned Bart.

"Alright," Hutz said, pulling up two bottles of liquor. "What does she prefer, Scotch or bourbon?"

Bart and Lisa looked at each other nervously, and back to Hutz.

"Actually Mr. Hutz," Lisa said, a nervous smile, "uh…"

"Maggie actually likes Squishies," Bart interrupted. "The ones from the Kwik-E-Mart."

"Yeah," Lisa said, "why don't you leave now and go get some."

"Very well," Hutz said. "Hutz, the super-babysitter to the rescue!" Hutz shouted, running out of the room. As soon as he ran out, Bart and Lisa put up a chair to the door.

"Quick," Lisa said, "find more things to barricade the door so he can't come back!"

"On it," Bart said, running off.

"Laura," Lisa said to the teenager, still on the couch, "the baby formula is on the high shelf, can you-" she trailed off as she saw Laura on the couch, staring at the TV.

"Why did you do it," Laura asked quietly. Lisa was concerned, thinking she was talking to the TV. "We left him".

"Laura," Lisa asked, her face full of concern. She stared at the TV, and saw Ruth being put into the back of the police car. Lisa realized that Laura was talking to her mom.

Laura lost all composure, shutting off the TV and threw the remote against the screen in a rage, before breaking down in tears, with her face in her hands.

"We left him, Mom," Laura said, tears falling down her face, and ignoring Lisa's comforting hand on her shoulder. "Why did you go back, mom? Why?!"


	2. Part 2

Ruth was sitting in a cell, silently counting the bricks. In a nearby cell was an extremely desiccated and manic-looking man in rags.

"Mademoiselle," the man asked in an out of place French accent. "I 'ave ah map that leads to a great treasure, he said, and I 'ave managed to build a tunnel to escape." He handed Ruth the map.

"This isn't a map," Ruth said in annoyance, "this is placemat from a seafood restaurant," Ruth turned it toward him, showing it was from the Frying Dutchman, and that it only looked like a treasure map.

"Bah, you fool," the Frenchman screamed, "moar treasure for moi," he opened the curtain, revealing a very small tunneling, and laughed crawling through it, until he got stuck.

She heard footsteps, and saw Marge coming toward her cell, accompanied by Chief Wiggum.

"Marge," Ruth said joyfully. To her shock, however, Marge's face wasn't particularly friendly. In fact, it looked downright…stern…maybe angry.

"Hello, Ruth," Marge said, her eyes narrowed in anger. Ruth was taken aback, never seeing Marge this furious.

"Before I can even sit in the same room as you," Marge seethed, "I want to know what was going through your goddamn mind," Marge swore, stunning Ruth who never heard Marge, "when you decided to risk going to jail, and commit grand theft auto!" Marge was directly in front of the bars, her hands holding them in an iron grip as she glared at her neighbor. After a short pause, Ruth let out a sigh.

"What was going through my mind," Ruth said in a voice that was barely more than a whisper. "What was going through my mind was…my last birthday with Max, when he gave me some nice bruises and a bloody nose when he got home from work." Marge's face, though stern, was slightly more understanding. "Or the times he would use my money for gambling," Ruth said, curling into a ball. "I wasn't in a marriage Marge," Ruth said, slowly walking up to her, putting her face up against the bars. "I was his slave."

"Ruth," Marge said, becoming somewhat more sympathetic, though still stern. "I'm so sorry you had to go through all that. Didn't you ever try calling the cops," Marge asked hesitantly.

"Gee, why didn't I think of that," Ruth said with bitter sarcasm. "What do you do when the law goes to happy hour with Max? Huh? Everyday day, Sergeant Fatso would come over, and congratulate Max for being a real man, while staring at my ass as a I scrubbed the floor." Ruth paused, trying to clear the tears forming in her eyes. "When we were married, the only way I could ever fight back against him was ruining something of his, like forgetting to cook his dinner, 'accidentally' destroying his laundry." She paused and took a deep breath.

"I hate cops who are fat slobs," Wiggum intoned, before dropping his donut onto an ant colony. He picked up the donut, covered with ants. "Uh," the Chief shrugged, "three second rule," and ate the donut whole.

"Max didn't just treat me bad, he brought out the worst in me," Ruth muttered, walking up to the bars to she could look at Marge. "I didn't mind, since we both managed to make each other miserable. But then Laura was born…"

Cut to:

 _A young Laura trying to set the table with her mother, with her father sternly looking on, clad in a white shirt and blue pants, his head bald, and his chin covered in a five o'clock shadow._

 _"_ _Laura," Ruth said gently, "we are having ribs."_

 _"_ _Alright," Laura asked excitedly, only to accidentally knock over the plate, where it shattered._

 _"_ _Laura," shouted her father, running around the table._

 _"_ _Daddy," Laura replied timidly, "I'm sorry."_

 _"_ _Get over here you little brat," the man shouted, sounding less human and more demonic. "You did on purpose."_

 _"_ _It was an accident, Max," Ruth replied, with a good deal of spite in her tone._

 _"_ _You did that to spite me, like your mom always does," he roared, running around the table to come after Laura, who stood in fear._

 _"_ _Get away from her you bastard," shouted Ruth, standing between her husband, who started punching her in the face and head, while Laura ran away from the house, the shouts and punches of her mother and father behind her._

Cut back to present:

Marge silently grabbed Ruth's hand.

"Ruth," Marge said, much of her anger gone, replaced only with sympathy for her friend. "I don't know what to say."

Ruth began to feel tears stinging her eyes again.

"I had to get out, because every time I hurt Max, he would hurt Laura. Being married to that man was turning me into something I didn't want to be." She sighed. "I know it was wrong to steal the car," Ruth said, but "for years, I put up with that bastard always coming out on top. When he started stiffing me on child support, I didn't think anyone who help, so…"

"You stole his car to feel on top again," Marge finished. Ruth finally broke down in tears, while Marge continued to hold her hand. Once Ruth got her crying under control, Marge silently nodded to the bailiff

"Mrs. Powers, you are being released until the date of your trial as Mrs. Simpson has agreed to cover your bail," the bailiff said, and open the gate. Ruth was surprised.

"You're bailing me out," Ruth said, stunned.

"Knowing what you went through, I guess I can't blame you, and so I can trust you," Marge said sympathetically. She frowned. "But there was something that should have mattered more to you than trying to get revenge," Marge said as they walked to the entrance to the jail.

"Like what," Ruth asked. She approached the entrance. she saw Homer, the Simpsons kids, and some red-headed man she did not know, and Laura

Laura looked positively livid, giving her a very dirty look. After a few moments, it was replaced with…

Ruth didn't get a good look, because Laura leapt into Ruth's hands, crying.

"Mom! You're so damn STUPID! Don't leave me again. You're... You're all I got." Ruth felt like she had been hit by a car.

"Laura," Ruth gasped, feeling tears run down her face, "I'm so…"

"What would happen to me if you went to jail," Laura yelled, pushing Ruth away, angry tears still falling from her face. "I can't go back to Max. I can't." Laura felt Bart and Lisa give her a big hug.

"I'm sorry Laura," Ruth said, giving Laura a warm smile through her tears. "Don't worry. I'll fight to make sure we won't be separated."

The crying was interrupted by the unusually jovial red-headed man.

"Hello there Ms. Powers," the man said in a salesman's voice. "Lionel Hutz, attorney-at-law. I see you are in a great legal quandary. I am prepared to offer you my legal services. The first two hours, and you get this free T-shirt with my name on it," Hutz said, handing it over to a confused Ruth.

"Uh," Ruth said. "This has HOTS written on it," Ruth said with deadpan. "And…this isn't even a T-shirt, it is a mini-skirt."

"Damn outlet store," Hutz said, taking the mini-skirt back. "So how about it?"

"Uh…," Ruth stared at Laura, who was shaking her head to tell her no.

"I'll take it…under advisement," Ruth said.

"Yes," Hutz said, shaking Ruth's hand. "Normally, most people would tell me to scram." He ran out of the jail, skipping like a 10-year-old in a candy store.

Cut to:

The Powers residence:

Ruth and Marge sat at the kitchen table, going through the phone books to find some kind of lawyer.

"Ooh, what about this one," Marge said. "Free legal service, and you get your carpets cleaned." Ruth shook her head.

"These sharks say the service is free," Ruth scoffed, "but then they screw you on charges you don't learn about until AFTER the case." Marge grunted thoughtfully.

"What about a public defender," Marge asked.

"Marge, you ought to know those guys are usually clowns," Ruth said, "and even when they are not, they get too much work to be effective."

The phone rang, Ruth went up to get it, while Marge continued to look through the phone book.

"Hello," Ruth answered. "Mr. Johnson, how can I-but-but-I can explain that-"the phone hung up. Ruth slowly put down the phone, and fell down in a daze.

"Ruth," Marge asked, concerned.

"More good news," Ruth quipped, putting her face in her hands, "the garage let me go".

"Why," asked Marge with a gasp, putting her hands-on Ruth's shoulders to comfort her.

"My boss saw the news," Ruth said slowly, "says he doesn't want some carjacking thief working as a mechanic. Says it would be bad for business. And knowing that, finding another job will not be an easy." Ruth let out another sigh.

"Don't worry Marge," Ruth said. "I'll figure something out. Just go home to Homer and your kids."

"OK," Marge said, concerned. "I'll try and figure something else myself." As soon as Marge left the room, Ruth went to her liquor cabinet and began downing bottles of scotch. Unbeknownst to her, Laura watched, her face full of apprehension.

Cut to:

The Simpson Residence.

"Homer," Marge said sitting in bed with Homer, "can't we do anything for Ruth, maybe stretch our budget to pay her legal-."

"Sorry," Homer said. "We are living on a fixed budget."

"What about your bonus," Marge asked. "Could that be enough to cover legal expenses?"

"Its gone," Homer said, nervously.

"What do you mean, gone," Marge asked suspiciously.

"It was spent," Homer said, turning away from Marge.

"On what," Marge replied.

"It was a matter of life or death," Homer replied dramatically.

 _Homer jumped for joy as his hoped for Terminator pinball machine arrive._

 _A shipping clerk arrived, holding out forms._

 _"_ _OK sir," the clerk said, "as soon as you sign, you cannot return it."_

 _"_ _Fine," Homer said._

 _"_ _Completely non-refundable," the clerk continued._

 _"_ _OK," Homer said._

 _"_ _As in, the money you could spend on emergencies will forever be-"_

 _"_ _Just give me the damn form," Homer yelled._

"Homer," Marge groaned.

"Marge," Homer said sadly, "I bought that for everyone. Not just- HEY, get away from my machine! Its mine!" He saw Grampa Simpson out the door.

"But I want to play," Grampa began, before Homer knocked him away, and began gleefully playing the game.

"Mine, mine, all mine," Homer said, drooling over the new machine, and giggling.

"If only we were millionaires," Marge groused. Homer was broken out of his pinball machine induced stupor.

"What was that Marge," Homer asked.

"If only we were millionaires," Marge replied, confused. Homer ran over to phone.

"Who are you calling at this hour," Marge asked.

"A man I know," Homer said smiling.

Cut to:

Ruth laying on the couch, hungover by her grief-induced binge.

She was awoken by a banging on the door. She ran over to the door.

"I'm not buying anything," Ruth groaned, as she swung the door open.

"What," Ruth groaned through clenched teeth. It was some man in a highly priced suit.

"Ms. Powers," the suited man replied.

"Who are you," Ruth asked forcefully, her voice slurred.

"I am Lester James," the man asked. "Attorney at law."

"Attorney," Ruth replied. "You must have heard of my case."

"Why yes," James said. "Nevertheless, I think we can build a good case for you."

"Well, thanks," Ruth said, still staggering, "but I don't think I can afford you."

"My client actually heard about your case," James replied, "and when he heard about your case, he agreed to cover the legal costs."

"Really," Powers said. "Who is your client?"

"Herb Powell," James replied.

"The baby machine man," Ruth replied, stunned. "Why is he helping me?"

"It would do you well to see opportunity when it comes knocking," Burns replied. "Not to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Understood," Ruth replied, "so let's talk about-," Ruth vomited all over James' suit.

"Oh," Ruth replied with groggy anxiety. "I am so, so sorry."

"Relax," James said. "I am attorney. My clients are drunk 50 percent of the time. Part of the job."


	3. Part 3

The Springfield Courthouse.

On the defendant side, sat Ruth Powers and her lawyer. On the plantiff's side, sat her ex-husband, Max Nichols. He had clean-shaven appearance, but that stupid smug smile. In the gallery was the Simpsons family, and Laura.

Ruth was giving her ex-husband very dirty looks, who responded with smug smiles of his own. Strangely enough, his attorney wasn't here yet.

"All rise," the bailiff said, "for the Honorable Judge Roy Snyder." Judge Snyder walked into court.

"Mr. Nichols," Snyder asked Max. "Where is your counsel?"

"He said he would be-," Nichols paused as he saw the courtroom doors burst open, and saw Hutz running into the courtroom in a panic.

"Sorry I am late," Hutz said, panting, "this stupid dog was fighting with me over some tasty garbage in the street." Hutz pulled out some chicken bone, and nibbled on it like some hungry dog.

Cut to:

Max on the witness stand.

"Mr. Nichols," Snyder asked Max. "Is it true you willingly withheld child support from your ex-wife?"

"Well, Ruth never understood how much I struggled to put food on her table, spending all her money on shopping trips we could never afford," Max said, almost too sadly. Ruth clenched her fist, while Laura gritted her teeth in anger.

"I would love to provide for my daughter," Nichols said with fake sympathy, obviously giving a nasty glare at Ruth "my budget was cut short."

"Your honor," Hutz said, pulling up a bunch of photos, "these pictures show the impoverished conditions my client lives in." Snyder looked at the photos, while Hutz was giving a thumbs up to Max.

"Mr. Hutz," Snyder said with exasperation, "these are pictures of your client's trip to Cancun."

Hutz stared at the pictures, and at a dismayed Max.

"Well, we all know a vacation to Mexico is a sign of want," Hutz said desperately. "It is the armpit of North America, well next to Camden, New Jersey. If my client were well off, he would be in Boca Raton."

"Thank you, Mr. Hutz," Snyder said, with forced politeness. "Mr. Nichols, you may leave the stand."

Cut to:

Ruth on the bench.

"Ms. Powers," Snyder asked. "Surely you are aware that larceny is a serious offense?"

"Well," Ruth said. "For years, the law failed me and my daughter. I felt the need to take the law into my hands, not only for my sake, but", she paused, letting tears fall down her eyes, "but my daughter's sake." Just as her act was about to sell, a bunch of chopped onions fell out of her pocket. Lester James facepalmed at that.

"Ms. Powers, did you stuff onions into your short to induce crying," Snyder asked.

"No," Ruth said unconvincingly, "I was, uh, using my body heat to…ferment the onions," she chuckled nervously.

"You may leave the stand, Ms. Powers," Snyder said, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Cut to:

Synder reaching his verdict.

"I rule that Max Nichols be ordered to pay his delayed child support to Ruth Powers," Snyder ruled.

Max, angrily shoved the papers of off the plaintiff desk and stormed out, while Laura, Ruth, and the Simpsons family cheered.

"I also sentence Ruth Powers to six months' probation, and 200 hundred hours of community service," the cheering abruptly stopped.

"Mr. Snyder," James said. "My client…"

"Mr. James," Snyder said firmly, "I can sympathize with a woman who suffered hideous affronts at the hands of her spouse." He turned to glare at Ruth. "However, my sympathy ends when the law is violated. Your client behaved as if she were above the law, and that is something I cannot tolerate. I am lenient because Ms. Powers, until today, never committed such a serious larceny. But she must learn that if she violates the law, she must be held accountable." She looked directly at Ruth. "You think of yourself as a mother, Ms. Powers. Ask yourself, what example are you setting for your daughter? Do you want her to think theft is OK?" Ruth looked down in shame. He banged his gavel. "Case dismissed."

"Hey," Ruth told James with small smile, "It is better than nothing." Laura ran up to Ruth, and hugged her, tears falling down her face.

"He's right, you know," Ruth said Laura. "Laura, I don't want you doing what I did. Sitting in that cell, and worrying about losing you just wasn't worth it." She hugged her daughter tighter. "Please don't do what I did," she said, tears running down her face.

"I won't mom," Laura said, her own tears falling down her face. "I won't."

Cut to:

Ruth on the payphone.

"Mr. Powell," Ruth said. "I don't know how to thank you for helping me out."

"Just live a straight life," Herb said, his gruff voice coming in through the phone.

"But why would you help out a total stranger," Ruth asked.

"Well, the total stranger is the best friend of the wife of my brother, then how I could I not help," Herb replied.

"Wait," Ruth replied, looking at Homer, who gave her a dopey smile. "Your Homer's brother."

"Yes," Herb replied. "Homer never, ever asks me for a dime, so the fact that he begged me convinced me I had to help."

"I could never be more thankful," Ruth said.

"He also told me you were looking for work as an auto mechanic," Herb asked.

"Yes," Ruth said with some embarrassment. "Wait, you can offer me-,"

"I was a car company head, Ms. Powers, thus I still have contacts in the industry," Herb said. "I can get you a top job at the Komatsu Service Center in Springfield, if you want."

"Thank you, so much," Ruth said, in quiet gratitude, "I won't-,"

"I want to talk to Herb. I wanna," Homer said excitedly, pushing Ruth away from the phone. "He's my brother, I get to talk to him."

"Hello, Herb," Homer said. "Thanks for your help."

"Don't mention it, Homer," Herb said.

"Anyways, I got some new ideas that I believe could make serious money, and they need are your-," he paused, hearing dial tone. "Hello? Hello? The line must have gone dead," Homer said, hanging up the phone.

Suddenly, he felt himself being hugged by both Ruth and Laura who were saying thank you repeatedly. Soon, his own family were giving them hugs.

"What are neighbors for," Homer said.


End file.
